Why Does Food Spoil?
Food gradually deteriorates because of a natural process of aging, just like humans. However with all foods, there are a few things we can do that have a positive effect on the shelf life and safety of our foods at the restaurant. Some preservation is done at the food manufacturing plant, some naturally, but a better understanding of the processes may help you extend that shelf life. Preservation methods and storage conditions must be designed to reduce the rate of decomposition and protect the safety, appearance and taste of our food.
The causes of food spoilage – Plant and animal tissue starts to decay soon after raw food has been harvested or killed. The spoilage process is usually caused by microorganisms such as fungi (molds & yeasts), spoilage bacteria, and their enzymes. Not all these changes in food are undesirable. Some people like aged beef and cheeses or very ripe fruit. The production of wine and beer involves conversion of sugars to alcohol, while souring of milk is essential in the production of cheese.
However, it’s important to remember that some of the conditions that accelerate spoilage, such as inappropriate temperature and moisture control, also encourage the growth of pathogenic microorganisms that cause foodborne illness. Consequently, spoiled food is not just an issue of quality, it is also often a question of food safety.
Mold & Yeast: Corn, nuts, breads, meat, cheeses, fruits and vegetables are affected by mold. With most cheeses (i.e. cheddar, mozzarella, American, or Swiss), don’t try to salvage cheese that shows visible mold by cutting it away unless it’s a natural part of the cheese like bleu cheese, Brie, or Camembert. Mold forms a network of microscopic strands that extend into the foods which could cause allergic reactions or illness, so discard them. Most cheeses don’t improve with age. Deli meats are the same. Yeast can cause discoloration, slime, and odors on sweet, acidic refrigerated foods or jams/jellies.
Bacteria: Some spoilage bacteria are also pathogenic (disease causing). For example, Clostridium perfringens (a common cause of spoilage in meat & poultry) and Bacillus cereus (spoils milk & cream) are also responsible for causing foodborne disease. Most foods are subject to bacterial growth.
Enzymes: They are naturally present in the cells of microorganisms that break down animal and plant foods. Breakdown continues until the enzymes are inactivated by blanching or cooking.
Other causes of spoilage include: 1) bruising or piercing because of rough handling such as vegetables, fruits or vacuum packaged food; 2) oxidation (changes the taste or texture when exposed to oxygen) or freezer burn; 3) pest infestation because of poor receiving control, storage, rotation or cleaning; 4) adulteration by addition of leftover food to fresh food, inferior or undesirable food or ingredients.
Detecting spoilage includes the typical indicators such as appearance (discoloration or slime), texture, smell or taste (obviously not recommended if any of the others are present).
Bottom line – When in doubt, throw it out. Food spoilage does affect your bottom line in food waste dollars, so prevention includes good receiving inspection practices, following manufacturer’s instructions, utilizing innovative active packaging or food storage bags, unfailing temperature recording and control, being observant and certainly good sanitation and personal hygiene by food handlers.
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About the Author: Lacie Thrall
Lacie Thrall passed away in early 2017 after a long illness. She dedicated her 35-year career to improving the health and well-being of others by promoting food safety best practices. Lacie worked in environmental health for 17 years before joining FoodHandler in 1997 as the Director of Safety Management. While at FoodHandler, she trained employees and customers on safe food handling practices, including proper hand hygiene and glove use. Later as a FoodHandler consultant, Lacie provided the foodservice industry with food safety information and advice through her blog on FoodHandler.com.
Proper Cooking Temperature: A Basic Food Safety Measure
Each summer, we see an increase in the incidence of foodborne illnesses. Perhaps this is because of the warmer temperatures making temperature control for Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food more difficult or perhaps it is the increased amount of people who are barbequing this time of year – it is National Picnic Month, after all!
Changing Climate: The Unseen Impact on Food Safety
In June, I was asked to participate in the Allinfoodz podcast, put on by a colleague, Dr. Amit Sharma, at Penn State University. One of the points Dr. Sharma wanted to discuss was the impact of climate change on food safety, which is something I was certainly aware of, but not something I had done much research on. However, when preparing for the interview and podcast, it was interesting to learn more about the relationship between the two.
Thawing Food with Food Safety in Mind
There comes a time in almost every foodservice operation where you must thaw food. Yes, I know there are those operations who have moved to fresh products only and don’t have a freezer in-house, but I am willing to bet that is more the exception than the norm. I am almost sure that anyone reading this blog who works in a foodservice operation can regurgitate what methods are acceptable to thaw food per the FDA Model Food Code. In case you don’t recall, I will discuss them briefly, but I wanted to spend some time covering these requirements a bit more in-depth – so you not only know WHAT to do, but the WHY we do it that way.
Addressing Major Food Recalls in Your Business
It seems like every year we have a large-scale food recall that reminds consumers and foodservice operators about the importance of food safety. Not that we need reminded, but it certainly puts the topic in the headlines again. Last year, it was the onion recall. This year, it may very well be the Jiff peanut butter recall, of which we are in the midst of. At the time of the publishing, we are starting to learn more about a potential hepatitis A outbreak linked to strawberries. If you have not been impacted by either of these recalls in your personal or business life, I would be surprised.
